EPA issues moratorium on new pesticides that kill birds and bees

The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a moratorium that will restrict the use of new pesticides that have been blamed for declining bee populations, though the policy does not apply to products currently on the market.

The chemicals in question, neonicotinoids, are a new class of
insecticides that affect the central nervous system of insects
and result in paralysis and death.

On Thursday, the EPA sent letters to companies that have applied
for permits to use neonicotinoid pesticides, telling them the
moratorium stands until they have assessed the risks on bee
populations. The pesticides are known to have chronic effects on
honey bees, birds, butterflies and other pollinator species, and
are considered to be a factor in overall pollinator declines.

“EPA believes that until the data on pollinator health have
been received and appropriate risk assessments completed, it is
unlikely to be in a position to determine that such uses would
avoid ‘unreasonable adverse effects on the environment,” the
agency wrote, reported the Hill.

The EPA has made the study of new pollinator risks an agency
priority, but the moratorium has no effect on the pesticides
already on the market. The EPA also relies on industry-funded
science that often contradicts peer-reviewed studies.

The neonicotinoid moratorium affects the chemicals Imidacloprid,
Dinotefuran, Clothianidin and Thiamethoxam. According to research by Beyond Pesticides group, Imidacloprid
has been found to be highly toxic to bees and other beneficial
insects, upland game birds, and can leach into groundwater.
Studies have found it disrupts mobility, navigation and feeding
behavior. Other studies have discovered a decrease in foraging
activity, olfactory learning and decreased hive activity.

The chemical Clothianidin, when used in Germany, caused a massive
bee die-off in 2008, with the country subsequently banning the
chemical pending further investigation.

More than 125 farmer, food safety, beekeeper, faith and
environmental groups wrote to President Barack Obama last month
“urging the moratorium on neonicotinoid and their chemical
cousins, other systemic pesticides.”

More than 4 million Americans signed petitions urging the Obama
administration to take action on bee-toxic pesticides. Among the
petitioning groups was The Center for Biological Diversity, who
have sued the EPA over its pesticide laws several times.

“This is an important first step in recognizing that these
types of bee-killing pesticides have a devastating effect on our
pollinators, and our agricultural systems and the
environment,” Jonathan Evans, senior attorney at the
Center for Biological Diversity, told RT.
“Unfortunately it is only a first step and doesn’t address
the large scale of these same pesticides that are already
approved.”

“In essence, the EPA has recognized these products are
dangerous and they are not going to allow new ones,” he
continued, before adding that it “will do nothing about the
existing harm that is occurring to…pollinators from already
registered products.”

Evans said nearly every day there are new studies linking the
impacts of neonicotinoids and other types of systemic pesticides
to pollinator decline and adverse environmental harm, but the
trouble remains with the broken US pesticide policy. He also
blamed the EPA’s own Office of Pesticide Programs, saying it
largely protects the chemical industry and rubber stamps getting
new pesticides on the market.

The Center for Biological Diversity has brought several lawsuits
against the EPA’s support of pesticide use, but the judge has
usually ruled in favor of the EPA.

“The pesticide laws are very tilted towards agriculture, and
what happens is [a company] provides a cost-benefit analysis
where, if [they] can determine if [they] can make so much more
profit on producing ‘X’ amount more corn or soy, [the EPA] view
that as counterbalancing negative environmental impacts,”
said Evans.

Evans said there is a growing integrated pest management movement
that looks holistically at the system to determine what other
types of beneficial insects can address pesticide problems, or if
other types of pesticides can cause less harm.

He said that in the US there is a “spray first, ask questions
later mentality, as opposed to using pesticides when they are
really necessary.”

“Now you have the agricultural industry treating every seed –
over 80-90 percent of corn or soy are treated with neonicotinoids
before they are even planted. They are just bombing everything on
the front end to potentially devastate any types of living
organisms, even [insects] that would be beneficial, like
pollinators.”